Sunday, July 27, 2008

"Live Earth is a 24-hour, 7-continent concert series taking place on 7/7/07 that will bring together more than 100 music artists and 2 billion people to trigger a global movement to solve the climate crisis.Live Earth will reach this worldwide audience through an unprecedented global media architecture covering all media platforms - TV, radio, Internet and wireless channels.Live Earth marks the beginning of a multi-year campaign led by the Alliance for Climate Protection, The Climate Group and other international organizations to drive individuals, corporations and governments to take action to solve global warming. Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore is the Chair of the Alliance and Partner of Live Earth.Live Earth was founded by Kevin Wall, the Worldwide Executive Producer of Live 8, an event that brought together one of the largest audiences in history to combat poverty. Wall formed a partnership with Al Gore and the Alliance for Climate Protection to ensure that Live Earth inspires behavioral changes long after 7/7/07.Live Earth will stage official concerts at Giants Stadium in New York; Wembley Stadium in London; Aussie Stadium in Sydney; Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro; Maropeng at the Cradle of Humankind in Johannesburg; Makuhari Messe in Tokyo; the Steps of the Oriental Pearl Tower in Shanghai; and HSH Nordbank Arena in Hamburg.

Performers at the London concert include Madonna, Beastie Boys, Keane, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Razorlight, Duran Duran, Black Eyed Peas, Genesis, Bloc Party, Corinne Bailey Rae, David Gray, Foo Fighters, James Blunt, John Legend, Paolo Nutini, Pussycat Dolls and Metallica.Its not everyday that 2 billion people rally around a single cause for the betterment of the whole of mankind.I, myself will attend Live Earth, in London, not only to see some of the Earth’s best musical talent (as well as some not so talented), but also to view this ‘Unity in the World’s Undertakings,’ first hand.Having some of biggest names in the music industry , as well as former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, behind an initiative fighting for a noble cause is a great example co-operation and unity of thought in the world undertakings. The question is, how sustainable is this endeavor? What is the real solution behind climate change?

This question was asked at a conference on Climate Change, at Oxford University,England in October 2006.The event was was organised by the Baha’i Agency for Social and Economic Development (BASED-UK) and the International Environment Forum (IEF), a Baha’i-inspired organization.One of the conclusions of the conference was that the challenges posed by global warming will require a far higher level of collective action and international cooperation than is currently practiced. Below is an excerpt from a Baha’i World News Story reporting on the conference:Climate change is "testing mankind’s ability to deal with a collective challenge," said Halldor Thorgeirsson, deputy executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Secretariat (UNFCCC). "The solution itself will fundamentally change how governments cooperate."In an address titled "The international community’s response to climate change," Dr. Thorgeirsson said the role of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, in global warming is now well established scientifically and "sufficiently clear to justify nations taking prompt action.""When it comes to climate change it will not be solved by any one actor on its own," said Dr. Thorgeirsson.IEF President Arthur Dahl said the purpose of the conference was "to unify these perspectives, relate them to each other" and to "engage the Baha’i community in the process of applying spiritual principles to the practical problems of the world."Dr. Dahl, a former deputy assistant executive director of the United Nation Environment Program, delivered the keynote presentation on "scientific and faith perspectives" on climate change, saying that most scientists have now concluded that there will be significant warming in the coming years."Climate change is going to force humanity to recognize its oneness," said Dr. Dahl. "Whole ecosystems will shift over long distances, if they can move fast enough.""We are looking at a scale of change this planet has not seen before," said Dr. Dahl. "Sea level has been going up and the scenarios show the trend to continue. It will bring other impacts: food insecurity, water shortages."Such changes, said Dr. Dahl, will require more than technical solutions. Rather, he said, they will require the application of ethical and spiritual principles so as to create "new value-based economic models" that seek to create a "dynamic, just and thriving social order."Religion, said Dr. Dahl, can play a key role in strengthening the ethical framework for action on climate change by educating people "about values and global responsibility," creating "motivation for change," and encouraging the sacrifices that will be needed to create sustainable development.